A Key to Student Success Building Emotional Intelligence

ABMP Education Program Director Anne Williams

Session Overview  Define emotional intelligence  Identify characteristics of Gen Y students  Determine what emotional intelligence skills can be taught in a massage classroom  Discuss best practices for building emotional intelligence in students  Explore two emotional intelligence building activities

An area of psychological research popularized by Daniel Goldman’s 1995 bestseller, Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Emotional Intelligence Characteristics  The ability to assess and supervise one’s emotions, thoughts, and self.  To be aware of the emotions of others and of groups.  To discriminate among emotions and thoughts and use this information to guide future thinking and actions.

Gen Y population growing and they need these skills! Why Pay Attention to EI?

GEN Y STUDENTS BORN BETWEEN 1982 AND 1994 COULD COMPRISE UP TO 2/3 OF YOUR STUDENTS  Interpersonal skills less developed  Computer skills strong  Skeptical and desensitized  Multi-task – enjoy multiple stimuli  Feel comfortable challenging others  Hold high expectations selves/others  Negotiate everything

What Employers Say  A sense of entitlement  Bright, but deficient in initiative and energy  Will not sacrifice outside activities for job advancement  Quality of personal life more important than advancement  Low tolerance for “meaningless work” even if well-paid  Unlikely to volunteer, even for good cause  Strongly connected to peer group and pack mentality  Cynical about job security

Massage Students = Massage Professionals MASSAGE THERAPISTS MUST HAVE VERY HIGH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Massage Students = Massage Professionals  Work with all people  Establish a therapeutic relationship  Provide safe, informed touch  Set clear boundaries  Plan a treatment  Adapt to client needs  Interact with other health care providers

Emotional Intelligence Skills  Self-awareness  Self-assessment  Self-empowerment  Crisis management  Problem solving  Positive thinking  Communication  Tolerance for others

Activities to build emotional intelligence would benefit students academically and when they enter the profession. Time for a Poll!

Self-Awareness Self- Empowerment Comm Skills Group Interaction Conflict Resolution What Skills Can Schools Teach Successfully?

 Understand negative thought processes  Recognize relationship between thoughts, feelings, and actions  Teach students a process to interrupt negative thinking Self-Awareness

 Identify limiting beliefs  Teach students a process for soothing themselves and stepping back from a situation  Use goal setting and follow up to demonstrate power to change destiny Self-Empowerment

 Understanding others  Paying attention to body language cues  Learning models of good communication like the use of “I” statements  Recognizing communication blockers  Practicing active communication Communication Skills

 Learn to be a leader  Learn to be a follower  Value contributions of all participants  Recognize emotional triggers  Follow through on commitments Group Interaction

 Step out of the emotional spiral  Understand the factors at play in a conflict  Identify wants and needs  Manage emotions  Seek an equitable resolution Conflict Resolution

Simple Ideas to Promote EI  Teach Processes  Any adopted process must be used consistently by all  Assess Grading Procedures  Shift some of the emphasis of grading points to personal development activities and group interaction  Identify and Value Differences  Myers-Briggs & Learning Styles for example  Share Feelings  Process activities

SAMPLE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITY Are We Progressing?

Are We Progressing  Breaks stuck patterns of interaction  Positive way to voice concerns about group dynamics  Builds accountability for how the group functions  Important: Use this activity consistently  After each discussion  One time a week  At pre-determined intervals  At least one time a month

Are We Progressing?  DIRECTIONS  Pass out handout  Students do not place name on handout  Students complete handout  Hold General Discussion How is our team progressing? What is improving? What is stagnant? What is declining?

Are We Progressing  DIRECTIONS CONTINUED  Ask Each Student: What can our team do to make one of your scores increase? What can you do on a personal level to make one of your scores increase?  Collect the handouts  Calculate the averages  Enter the averages on a chart  Post the chart  Continue to add averages to the chart over time

SAMPLE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITY Mood Check

 Develops awareness of mood  How it effects academic performance  How it effects learning environment  How it effects others  How to refocus and regain a more positive attitude

Mood Check  DIRECTIONS  Make laminated chart  Post by classroom door  Ask students to make a dot by those words that best describe their moods  Process the findings before classes  Many Uses  Before activity  After activity  Any time motivation is low

 As we look at the board and where people have placed their dots, what patterns do we see?  How might these emotional patterns affect the classroom experience today?  How aware of your mood were you when you walked through the classroom door?  How aware of the moods of your fellow classmates were you when you walked through the door?  Did anyone in the class influence your mood when you walked through the door? How?  What can we do to change the classroom mood to make it more productive? OR How can we capitalize on the classroom mood to get the most out of today’s class? Processing Responses to the Mood Check

NEXT STEPS Class dynamics early Add emotional intelligence content to classes Give points for emotional intelligence Plan personal growth activities with a point value Plan group activities where students take clearly defined rolls

Resources ABMP’s Student Success Curriculum ( / School Alliance Section) Daniel Goldman: Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ Applying Emotional Intelligence in the Classroom

Conclusions  Defined emotional intelligence  Identified the characteristics of emotional intelligence  Discussed Gen Y students  Recognized EI skills that can be taught  Identified some EI building activities

QUESTIONS